Crown-setting for jewels



N0. 6Il,279. Patented Sept. 27, I898.

N. L. BIPLEY.

GROWN SETTING FUR JEWELS.

(Application filed Mar. 12, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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UNrTED STATES I PATENT Gr mes.

NATHANIEL L. RIPLEY, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CROWN-SETTING FOR JEWELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 611,279, datedSeptember 27', 1898.

Application filed March 12,1898. Serial No. 673,566. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL L. RIPLEY, of Newton, county of Middlesex,and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inGrown-Settings for Jewels, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of settingscommonly known and designated as crown settings, settings whereinupright prongs receive between their upper ends the jewel to be held anddisplayed.

It is very essential that the setting possess strength in order that avaluable jewel put into it may be securely held against anypossibilityof being lost. Hence it becomes of great moment that the setting be madeas strong as possible; but owing to the small space occupied by theseprongs much difficulty has been experienced in devising a constructionto afford strength and yet enable the setting to present to the eye anattractive appearance.

A jewel well and satisfactorily set adds, it will be readily apparent,very materially to the salable value and attractiveness of the ring orother article containing a jewel.

Heretofore the prongs in crown-settings have been made of U shapedpieces of metal, the connected ends of such U-shaped pieces beingsoldered on the top of arms extended inwardly from and forming part of abase adapted to be soldered into the body of the ring, and the upperends of these U- shaped pieces have been soldered each branch to abranch of the U-shaped piece next to it at either side. This Uconstruction leaves a space between the lower part of each U shapedpiece and the one adjacent to it, and consequently each U-shaped pieceis supported on the base independently of the other U- shaped piece, andit has been found in practice that these U-shaped pieces or prongsjoined at a very small point on the base and correspondingly supportedon the base at but a single point have been so poorly supported thatthey are liable to be strained or bent aside, so that the prongs fail tohold the jewel and permit its escape.

In my experiments to provide a crown-setting which could not bedisturbed or displaced at the junction of its lower end with the base Ihave provided the inwardly-extended arms of the base with notches toconstitute an annular seat, and on this seat I mount a ring havingrising from it at suitable intervals the series of prongs employed tohold the jewel and to increase the strength or stiffness of each prongto the maximum. I have provided this ring exactly at the base of eachprong, on its outer side, with a reinforce, which may be more or lessornamented, as may be desired, it being preferable to so shape thisreinforce that it may present to the eye a sort of foliated or trefoilappearance; but it will be understood in the ornamentation that thisreinforce may be left to taste. The reinforce applied, as stated, at thebase of each prong at its outer side enables each prong to wellwithstand the strain to which it may be subjected without any danger ofthe prong being bent or overturned, and by reason of this reinforce thearea of the base of the prong may be so increased in diameter as toinsure any desired strength for the prong. So, also, the ring containingthese prongs by being sustained in the annular seat referred to is sosupported that it cannot be moved laterally, and the ring having theseprongs is soldered to the arms of the base at a point between theprongs, so

that the ring is additionally strengthened at that point, leaving noelement of weakness whatever or any opportunity for the prongs to bestrained out of proper vertical holding position. r

Figure 1 shows my, improved ring and prongs, the ring being reinforcedat the j unction of each prong with it, said parts being greatlyinsured. Fig. 2 is a section in the line m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectionin the line 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top or plan view of the base,showing the seat in the ends of the arms constituting a part of thebase. Fig. 5 is a section of Fig. 4 in the line 03 Fig. 6 shows the bodyof the ring to receive the base. Fig. 7 shows the crown-setting and itsbase applied to the body of the ring. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of thering shown in Fig. '7, and Figs. 9 and 10 show parts of an ordinarycrown-setting upon which my present invention is an improvement.

Referring to the drawings, let A represent the bodyof a ring, ofsuitable shape or design, it having an open space at A, in which isplaced and suitably soldered the annular projection b of a base B, saidbase, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, being provided with a series of armsZ3, radiating toward the center of the base, each of said arms beingshaped to present a shoulder, as 19 the said series of shouldersconstituting an annular seat to receive the ring 0, from which rise theprongs c of the setting 0, each of said prongs at its junction with saidring having suitably soldered or attached to it a reinforce 0 the saidreinforce being herein shown of trefoil shape. The addition of thisreinforce to the base of the prong adds a comparatively large amount ofmaterial to the setting, thus materially stilfening it, and yet alsoadding by ornamentation to the effectiveness of the ring to the eye, aswell as to the desirability of the setting. This setting reinforced, asshown and described, at the base of each prong is then set into theannular seat of the base, and the portions of the ring between theupright prongs and reinforces are soldered to the inwardly-directed armsI), thus adding very materially to the stifiness of the setting and thecapacity of the prongs to resist any tendency to bend or turn themaside.

A setting reinforced, as described, at the base of each prong and thenbraced between each prong affords a remarkably strong and secure holdingand stiffening for the prongs.

Figs. 7 and 8 show the base with its crownsetting in position in thebody of the ring.

Referring now to Figs. 9 and 10, e represents laid out two U-shapedpieces constituting the parts of three prongs, the adjacent prongs oftwo of the U-shaped pieces being shown as soldered together, leaving,however, a space at the bottom of the prong.

Fig. 10 shows these two U-shaped prongs sustained upon the usual arms 6of the base, and it will be noticed that the lower portion of eachU-shaped prong rests on the top of the arms of the base and is solderedthere, the junction of the base with the arm strengthenin g only themiddle part of the base, leavin g the soldered prongs of adjacent U-shaped pieces practically unsupported.

From this brief illustration of an ordinary crown-setting the advantagesof my improved crown-setting will be readily apparent.

I have herein shown my invention as applied to a finger-ring; but itwill be obvious that the setting composed, essentially, of the base andthe crown may be equally wellapplied to any other usual or suitable formor shape of body, as a pin, ear-rings, studs, 850.

It will also be understood that this invention is in no Wise limited tothe particular shape of such reinforce so long as the reinforce isapplied at the lower ends of the pron gs.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

A jewel-settin g composed of a base having inwardly-directed armsprovided with shoulders to form a seat, and a crown composed of a ringhaving upwardly-extended prongs, the ring being reinforced by theaddition of metal thereto at the base of each prong, the said ring beingsoldered to the base at points between the said prongs, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

NATHANIEL L. RIPLEY.

Vitnesses:

JOHN OoUPER EDWARDS, AUGUSTA E. DEAN.

